This is part of Ottawa Senators day at PHT ...
Heading into last year, some worried that the Ottawa Senators would put too much stock in Andrew Hammond’s stunning, likely unrepeatable run (which saved their 2014-15 season).
That didn’t happen. Instead, Craig Anderson regained his role as the clear No. 1 goalie; Hammond only appeared in four games during the first two months of 2015-16.
Such a decision took courage, yet it didn’t exactly yield fantastic results.
The Senators fell short of a playoff berth with Anderson starting 60 games, going 31-23-15 with a solid-but-unspectacular .916 save percentage.
As we’ve seen for the last few seasons, the Sens often live or die based on hot-or-cold goaltending. Anderson’s shown a remarkable trend of rotating average and strong seasons himself.
Starting with the 2010-11 season in which he was traded to Ottawa, he’s been remarkably “consistent” in that way.
2010-11 with Colorado: Lousy .897 save percentage
2010-11 with Ottawa: Fantastic .939 save percentage
2011-12: .914 save percentage
2012-13: .941 save percentage
2013-14: .911 save percentage
2014-15: .923 save percentage
2015-16: .916 save percentage
Based on that pattern, you’d expect a strong 2016-17, right?
At 35 with two seasons remaining on his current deal, Anderson has some incentive to get things together. It’s also plausible that Guy Boucher may install a system that brings out the best in the veteran netminder.
As much as Erik Karlsson is on another planet as a defenseman, there’s a strong possibility that Anderson’s performance will actually make or break Ottawa’s 2016-17 campaign.